grout



Patented Aug. 25, 1842.

NES P R0 CESSJ AM. PHOTO-LITHO. CO. N,C (OSBOR 2 Shets Shqet 2.

J1 R. GROUT.

Car Brake.

Patented Aug. 25, 1842.

JOHN R. GROUT, OF ALBION, NEW YORK.

MACHINERY FOR OPERATING THE BRAKES OF RAILROAD-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2,760, dated August 25, 1842.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. GROUT, of Albion, in the county of Orleansand State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Machineryfor Controlling and Stopping: Railway-Cars; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full and exact description thereof.

The accompanying drawings represent the frame and running gear of thetender and car of a train, with the machinery attached Figures 1 and 2present a horizontal section of the tender, car and machinery in a stateof rest. Figs. 3 and 4 are a vertical section of the same, in the samestate, with.

the improved parts in the front view. Figs. 5 and 6 are a verticalsection of the same, but presenting the position of the machinery whenthe train is in motion, and the operation ofthe parts in the act ofstopping.

The ordinary friction brake, applied to the tread of the wheel. is used,and. the parts are constructed of iron. or other material as the caserequires.

Like parts in each figure are designated by like letters of reference.

A is a rod lying centrally and lengthwise under the hind end of thetender, the forward end of it being firmly attached to some point oftheframe as at co. The other end vibrates vertically upon the point ofattachment and projects sufliciently behind the frame to give action tothe slide of the first car, for which purpose it is provided with aflanch or bumper head.

B B C is a jointed slide, lying one side from the center and extending,the full length of the frame, to which it is attached by supports Thepart B" C, which will hereafter be termed rod C, is movable verticallyupon the joint B, andis made with a head or flanch to receive actionfrom the fixture Q on the next car.

I) is a rod connecting the jointed slide with the brake, by means of aspiral spring and the rocking shaft 0 which lies transversely under theframe between the wheels.

E is a rocking shaft lying crosswise under the hind end of the tender.It has two arms 71 and '1', by means of which it is revolved, and twocams which support the rods A and U, and elevate or depress them as theshaft is revolved.

F is a regulator, differing from the common regulator in the use of thelong tube a, and in the attachment of its arms to a fric tion wheel,which rests and revolves upon the shoulder or wheel (Z of the shaft.

G and H are bevel wheels, one of which is upon the hind axle of thetender, and the other upon the shaft of the regulator.

The lower end of the tube 6 is formed with a groove, into which entersthe forked lever f. This lever revolves near its center upon a pin inthe frame, and connects the regulator by means of the rod 9 to the arm hof the shaft E.

I is a rod attached to the arm 2' upon the shaft E, and connects it tothe jointed slide B B C, the rod being bent at right angles and. anopening made through it for the passage of the slide. The rod moves onthe slide the distance between the collars Z and k, which is equal tothe movement of the slide from the center of motion in each direction.

H is a vertical lever, supported by a pin in the frame, and connected atthe lower end with the jointed slide B B C, by means of the rod m andthe collar n.

L L is. a rod placed centrally under, and sliding lengthwise of theframe of the car, to which it is attached by supports. Its forward endprojects in front of the frame, and is formed with a head or fianch toreceive action from the rod H of the tender. The other end terminateswithin the frame, and

is made in the form of a steep inclined plane.

to act upon the lever \4[. This lever issupported in a stand bolted tothe frame. Its short arm is arched so as to permit the slide to enterbetween it and the frame. The

other end is formed with a head to act upon.

the slide of the next car. It moves up and down in the guides 00, in thelower part of which is a rocking shaft A. This shaft, or perhaps moreproperly bent lever, has two arms, one of which is connected. with theslide L L by the rod 0, and the other rises with the lever M, andsupports it when elevated. The rod P connects the slide L L with thebrake by means of a spiral spring and the rocking shaft Q which liestransversely under the frame between the wheels. The spiral springs uponthe rods D P and O, and the slides B B C, and LL will be spoken of inanother place.

The foregoing described machinery is adapted to every form of cars, andevery variety of couplings, as well to that with a link and a bumpingand drawing spring The manner in which the machinery operates is asfollows: The regulator being connected to the aXletree of the tender, operates for any speed for which it is geared. The motion of the trainbeing sufficient, the balls of the regulator rise, and carry up withthem, the rods A and C to a horizontal position, where the regulatorsustains them while it is in action. Fig. 5 represents the regulator,and the accompanying parts in this position. If now the engine is movingwith a tractive force, or the steam is cut off, and the'train is comingup by its own gravity, no effect takes place; but if any resistance isproduced at the engine, whether by any action of the engine itself, orthe inter vention of any obstacle upon the track, the machinery takesinstant effect. The tender is checked, and the following car rushingupon it, the permanent fixture Q strikes the jointed slide B B C, anddriving it forward, operates the brake of the tender. At the same timethe rod A meets the slide L L, and forcing it backward, operates thebrake of the car, and elevates the lever M. And this lever meeting theslide of the next car as it comes up, forces it back, and thus isoperated in succession the brake of each car in the train. Figs. 5 and 6represent the operation of the parts in the act of stop ping; the tenderhaving been checked, the car has closed upon it; the slides are partlyforced in; the brakes are brought upon the wheels; and the lever M isfirmly held in a horizontal position.

The principles of the machinery are equally applicable to the locomotiveengine. The additional parts required in the engine in the application,are a slide, rocking shaft, and rods. The last are used in connectingthe rocking shaft with the brake, and include a rod, or lever to be usedby the engineer in controlling the parts. It is my intention to append asimilar apparatus to the locomotive, so as to cause it to cooperate withthose on the tender and on the cars in arresting the momentum of thetrain, and to secure the manner of doing this by Letters Patent, as soonas the arrangement for so, doing is definitely made.

WVith this system of brakes a small power exerted upon the engine, issufficient, under ordinary circumstances, to bring up a train with alldesirable expedition and safety. For, as each car is acted upon by abrake, its momentum is rapidly overcome'in its position, and thepressure at the head of the train correspondingly diminished. same time,the momentum of the train operates the brake of the engine, rapidlyincreasing its resistance, which resistance reactsrback upon the train.The principle is that of the meeting of two bodies, moving at highvelocities in oppositie directions. The

force exerted in their collision is propor- At the t'ionate to thecomparative momentum of the bodies, and it increases and reacts uponeach, till the progress of one of them is overcome. The reaction uponthe train, in this case, is equal to the increased resistance of theengine, consequent upon the action of its brake. And this increasedresistance, by the arrangement of the slide in the engine, is

.under the instantcontrol of the engineer, to

be used or not, as the nature of the case may require. It is thenceperceived, that this system of brakes secures to the engineer not onlythe power of the entire adhesive resistance of his engine, but theadditional one of a brake upon each car, which operates with certaintythe instant the resistance commences at the engine.

The hand lever K is connected with the jointed slide B B C, by means ofthe rod m and the collar n, and this slide is farther connected with therocking shaft E, by

means of the rod I which plays upon itbetween the collars 7s and Z. Theuse of this lever and the parts thus connected, gives the fireman or manupon the tender, complete control over the machinery. He can set it inoperation at any time when the regulator fails to do it, or, he canprevent both its action and that of the regulator. It is seen that'thislever, when the machinery is at rest, occupies a vertical position,fro-m which it is movable backward and forward. The effect of its motionis as follows: Moving it backward revolves the shaft E, which raises therods A and C, giving to the machinery the same eiiiciency it receivesfrom the regulator. On the other hand, moving the lever forward producesthe reverse of this effect. It exerts a force upon the shaft which isopposed to that of the regulator, thus preventing the shaft revolving,and neutralizing the effect of the regulator, as well as rendering themachinery inoperative.

The shaft of the regulator passes up through a tube in the tank of thetender. The lower end of it is supported by a collar attached to theframe of the tender, and is connected by cog-wheels to the hindaxletree. The upper end is held by a collar connecting it to the upperwork of the tender. The shaft is made with a shoulder J in the form of awheel, near the top, upon which is placed and revolves the wheel cl. Tothis wheel are attached the upper ends of the arms of the regulator, thelower ends being connected to the long tube 0, which plays upon theshaft, and communicates the action of the arms to the machinery beneath.These friction wheels constitute an important improvement in theregulator as regards this application of it. They permit the shaft torevolve without the arms, and vice versa. without which arrangement, theuse of the regulator upon the tender would be entirely impracticable.For, the sudden stopping of area the wheels by a powerful brake, andotherwise jarring of the tender, would wrench the regulator in pieces,constructed with the arms attached to the shaft as it is for otherpurposes. hen springs intervenebetween the frame of the tender: and theaxletrees, it is. necessary to use the crownwheel and pinion. in placeof the.bevel-cogwheels.

WVhenever desirable, the machinery may be used wihtout the regulator. Inthis case the lower end of the lever K must be connected by a. rod to anarm upon. the rocking shaft E. Thus connected the, use of the leverenables. the. fireman to revolve the shaft, and elevate and sustain therods, A and C, as they are done by the regulator. This arrangement verymuch simplifies the. machinery, dispensing with the use of theregulator, its gearing, the lever f, rod 9, and! arm h; the

red I, collarsir and Z, and rod m. The value of the regulator lies inthe self-acting prin ciple which it imparts to the machinery.

The car couplings which I have used are Alversons arrangement. The playgiven to them is 8-}. inches-3 inches for the com.- pression of eachbumping spring, and: 2, inches for the movement of the link.v A greateror less play is equally admissible.

In communicating the power from. car to car,

it is necessary to. provide for: this play between. them. This. is donein. the peculiar arrangement of the slide LL and lever M. The rod. A onthe tender, projects sufiiciently to force back the slideL L and elevatethe lever M, before. the collision of the heads of the coupling. Eachlever in the train proj ects in the same way and produces the sameeffect upon the succeeding slide. The lever is firmly attached to thebody of the car, and forms with it and the coupling, the communicationfor the power, back through the train. On the other hand, the-slide ismovable a distanceequal to the play of the coupling. Its first effect isto elevate the lever its further action: is expended: upon the ertedupon that of each following car; so

plays beneath it.

causing it to. resist the progress of the next car, which operates itsbrake, and so. on.

The lever is acted upon by theslide. in two ways: by the inclined planeupon the slide, and by the rockingshaft or, bent lever which. Either wayis competent to raise the lever, and, either may be used alone, or, bothas combined. The combina tion is preferable in. view of strength. The

slide must be so much below the frame that its. head will not conflictwith either branch of the coupling, and the lever must fall sufficientlyto adanit the head of the slide be.- tween it and the coupling, withoutcollision with: either. i

A rocking shaft lying transversely under the frame between the wheels,as shown in the drawing, may be used for communicating the power to thebrake, or, any of the other means to which the existing car fixtures areadapted. The power of the brake, needs never be suflicient to quite stopthe wheels, and the strength. of the fixtures need; be no greater thanthat of the ordinary brake. Any car may have a hand lever, with which tooperate its slide when desirable, and the slide may be arranged tooperate the brake by horse power whenever that is used.

The spiral springs upon the rodsD and P are used to prevent too suddenand powerful action upon the brake. They require to be sulficientlystiff to communicate the desired power, and of sufiicient length toproduce the requisite movement without a too great increase of power.The spring upon the rod 0 is used for a similar purpose, and should besimilarly qualified as to stiffness. The springs upon the slides B. B Cand L L are used to restore the position of the slides after action.They require only the requisite elasticity for that purpose.

Upon roads, where it is the practice to turn the cars at the ends of thetrip, the arrangement which has been described is all that is required;where such is not the case, but the opposite ends of the cars arealternately run forward, an additional slide and lever with theaccompanying parts are required. They should be placed by the side ofthe other set, reversed in position in respect to them, as shown. inFig. 7, both sets being as near the center line of the car as thenecessary distance between them will permit.

In Fig. 8. 1s shown an arrangement for preventing the escape of thecoupling bolt.

A side view of it is shown in the other figures. r 18 a latch and s acatch spring. A groove" is made in the back side of the up .per edge ofthe fianch of the coupling head,

- & 2,760

vents its escape. The spring is formed with a catch, which, when thelatch is in place over the bolt, holds it there. The latch should beprovided with a knob upon its movable end, for convenience in turningit; and

the groove be high enough and thespring count, as they are the bestadapted to this machinery, it is here presented.

The apparatus for stopping the train of cars may be governed by means ofa hand lever upon the tender, or by horse power. In Figs. 9 and 10, suchportion of the car as is necessary is shown by dotted lines; a,

is a hand lever movable on a fulcrum at the upper edge of the fore beamof the car, and connected at the lower end with the bar 1;, which ismovable on a fulcrum at its other end on the lower edge of the fore beamon the opposite side from the center. This bar is joined with another w,which is connected with the slide L, L, the end of it being bent atright angles, and an opening made through it for the passage of theslide. The bar 10, just touches the collar on the slide when the leveris perpendicular, and when the lever is thrown forward it pressesagainst the collar, and, forcing back the slide, operates the brake.This lever apparatus is adapted to this kind of' cars. On cars having aplatform in front, the apparatus shown by Figs. 13, and 14, may be used.1, is a rocking shaft attached to the fore beam, horizontally, beneaththe platform. 2, is a short arm on it extending vertically downward andconnected with bar 3, which is like it, and is used for the same purposewith, the bar w, in the other apparatus. 4, is another arm on the shaftextending horizontally forward, and con necting with 5, which is a rodrising up through the platform, and is the part handled by the brakeman.Both these arrange ments are in common use excepting the bar 4.0, whichis the immediate connecting part with the slide. This is used for asimilar purpose and operates in the same manner as the rod 1, in thetender. hen the slide is to be moved by any other power than the handlever, it plays freely through the opening in this bar withoutdisturbing the hand lever apparatus. This constitutes the peculiarity inmy application of the hand lever. The application of horse power isshown in Figs. 11, and 12, which represent the draft shafts of thehorse. or, is an arm of iron, attached to the shafts, with an ob longopening in it in which the pin plays which holds it to the coupling headof the car.

3 is a stirrup of iron, and z, a brace.

They are attached to the shaft and to each other by a folding joint andmay be taken from the shafts and put on at pleasure. The stirrup is soadjusted that when the horse is standing in the shafts, it will nearlytouch the head of the slide. The oblong opening is nearly equal inlength to the movement of the slide, and permits the arm to play backtill the head of the opening strikes the pin of the coupling. Now, whenthe horse is moving with a draft, or at a speed equal to the progress ofthe car, the

brake is free from action,but when his mo? tion is slower than the car,or he is exerting himself to stop it, the stirrup strikes the slide,drives it back and operates the brake. This application of horse poweris, I believe, entirely new.

Some of the advantages of this machinery are, it is entirelyself-acting, and saves the expense of brakemen; the brakes respondinstantly to the resistance of the engine, and are operated withcertainty and effect; a moderate resistance of the engine is suflicientto bring up a train as suddenly as the convenience of passengers admits;the speed of the train may be kept up to near stopping places, whichwill be an important saving in time; the train may be stopped with greatsuddenness without the disastrous conse quences of smashing or doublingup the forward cars; the power of the brake need never be sufficient toslide the wheels, which will save expense in the greater durability ofboth wheels and bi'akes; finally, the power which is required to brakeup the first car, is adequate to control any number in train. In thisrespect, it will be of great utility upon steep grades and planes,especially where horse power is used, by which the slide and lever areas readily operated as by the power of steam, or of men.

Having thus, fully described my machinery, and the manner of using it,what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, arethe following; that is to say, I do not claim any one of the parts ofthe engine, tender, or car, separately and independently of thearrangements and combinations herein set forth and claimed, nor anycombination, or combinations, of parts not herein especially named andclaimed as my invention and improvement; but

I do claim as my invention and improvement- 1. The manner in which themomentum of the cars operates the brake of the tender, by means of thefixture Q upon the first car, and the rocking shaft, o-inted slide, rodand springs in the tender, the same being combined and operatedsubstantially as iereinbefore described.

2. The particular manner in which the slide and lever in the car arearranged and operated as described; including in said claim the mannerin which the resistance of the tender operates the brake of the car, orcars, in train, by means of the rod in the tender; and the slide, lever,rods, springs and rocking shaft in the car, the Whole being combined andoperating substantially as before described.

3. I claim the manner in which I combine and arrange the respectiveparts of the regulator; that is to say, I claim, in combination, theforked lever f, attached to the rocking shaft E, the sliding tube 6,which plays upon the shaft, to Which the lower ends of the arms of theregulator are attached; the Wheel (Z, to Which the upper ends of saidarms are attached, which Wheel by its friction upon friction plate orWheel (Z communicates the action of the arms of the regulator to themachinery beneath; by

any neW principle.

JQHN R. GROUT.

WVitnesses:

S. B. REED, H. I. GOODALE.

